Week in Review

All you hear from Democrats is that we need to spend more on education. They call it investing in our future. Which is a lie. For ‘investing in our future’ is code for shoring up teachers’ pensions. And keeping higher education doing what those in control of higher education want it to do. Produce Democrat voters. Which actually starts in our public schools. Where they teach our kids to come home and tell their parents that they are ashamed of them. For all the global warming they’ve caused. And bringing them into the world in the evil, rotten United States.

These are the things our kids seem to know about. Global warming. Slavery. Stealing land from the Native Americans. American imperialism. But ask them to name the first four presidents of the United States? Four of the greatest Americans ever to live? Those in control of our public education don’t think knowing anything about them is important. Apparently (see Rolling Stone, Groupon Show The Viral Benefits of Historical Inaccuracy by Nathan Raab posted 4/11/2014 on Forbes).

In 2007, a US Mint poll showed that only 7 percent of those surveyed could name the first four Presidents in order. A later poll by Marist was not more encouraging.

George Washington (#1) kept the Continental Army together for 8 years under circumstances few could imagine today. Near the end of the Revolutionary War his character alone put down a mutiny in the officer corps. He turned down the offer to make him king. An unprecedented act at the time. King George of Britain had said if he turned down absolute power “he will be the greatest man in the world.” And Washington did. Twice. His presence was the only thing that got the states to ratify the Constitution. And his two terms in office was the only thing that gave the United States of America a chance of succeeding. This is why there is only one man we call the Father of his Country. And only one man we call the Indispensible Man. George Washington.

John Adams (#2) was a driving force for American independence. So much so that King George could not forgive him. Had they reconciled with the mother country the king would have pardoned many patriots. But not Adams. He would hang. Adams nominated George Washington to command the Continental Army. He chose Thomas Jefferson to write the Declaration of Independence. He worked with Benjamin Franklin to negotiate the peace treaty that ended the Revolutionary War. And negotiated America’s first loan from Amsterdam bankers. The first nation to recognize and do business with the new nation (other than France). And he averted war with France following the French Revolution. Giving the fledgling nation a chance to survive.

Thomas Jefferson (#3) was the author of Declaration of Independence. The author of the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom. And the Father of the University of Virginia. The three things Jefferson was most proud of and appear on his tombstone. As president his administration bought the Louisiana Territory from the French. More than doubling the size of the United States. And sent out Lewis and Clark to explore these vast new territories. And he slashed government spending wherever he could. A true believer in limited government.

James Madison (#4) is the Father of the Constitution. He wrote the Federalist Papers with Alexander Hamilton and John Jay to encourage ratification of the Constitution. The Federalist Papers are still referenced today in Constitutional law. He also helped the effort to ratify the Constitution in Virginia where he battled the great patriot Patrick Henry. Who feared a large central government. Madison served in the first Congress. Where he championed the Bill of Rights. And, later, supervised the Louisiana Purchase as President Jefferson’s Secretary of State.

It is indeed a sad commentary on our educational system that only 7% of those questioned could identify these great Americans. And it’s not a lack of money causing this. It’s a lacking in the curriculum. Choosing global warming, slavery, stealing land from the Native Americans, American imperialism, etc. Instead of teaching our kids why the United States is the greatest country in the world. Because of men like these. Who put the individual before the state. Who made freedom and liberty things we take for granted. Instead of things people can only dream of. Which is the case in much of the world today. And has been the norm throughout history.

Fundamental Truth

Thomas Jefferson wanted to keep the New Federal Government and Money Apart

Thomas Jefferson did not trust government. And he didn’t trust moneyed men. Because when the two come together they cause nothing but trouble. That’s why he hated and distrusted Alexander Hamilton. Hamilton wanted a strong central government. A central bank. And an economic system favoring merchants and bankers. With big city moneyed men financing the government in return for special favors.

This is why the nation’s capital isn’t in New York City. It once was. But one of the first deals the Hamilton and Jefferson camps made was the relocation of the nation’s capital to a mosquito-infested swamp on the Potomac River. A long, long way from the moneyed men in New York City. To try to keep the new federal government and money apart. To restrict the influence of the moneyed men on the government. And to prevent the government from having easy access to big money.

Why did Jefferson want to do this? Well, they fought for their independence from Great Britain. Which was a constitutional monarchy. Where some in Parliament were no friends of British America. And got the king to agree with them rather than the pro-British America faction in Parliament. Ironically, the Americans got help in their War of Independence from France. Which had an absolute monarchy. Whose king ruled with no check on his power. Both governments were in the big cities. London. And Paris. Where the moneyed men were. In the big cities. Allowing these monarchies to do a whole lot of mischief all around the world. And a fair amount of mischief inside their own countries. Because the money and the government were in the same city.

Government + Money = Corruption

Great Britain and France were forever at war with each other. And with other countries. Requiring a lot of money. Which they got from the moneyed men. In return for special privileges that allowed them to get ever richer. Of course the mischief grew greater as they fought a world war or two. Requiring ever more money. Which they got from, of course, taxing the rest of the people. Even those who could little afford it. And once this starts, once the government starts accumulating debt, that taxation will only get greater.

This is what Jefferson was worried about. And why he so distrusted Hamilton. The Founding Fathers were all gentlemen of the Enlightenment. Disinterested public servants. Honorable men who would never take advantage of their position in government for personal gain. Because for these men honor was everything. Some even fought duels to protect their honor. As Hamilton did. And died. Washington, Adams, Hamilton, Jefferson, Madison, Jay and Franklin were men of exceptional integrity. Men who could be trusted. But here is where Hamilton and Jefferson differed. Hamilton believed only men like them would ever enter government. While Jefferson believed that government service would one day attract mostly scoundrels and knaves.

Of course, Jefferson was right. For as the nation grew so did the size of government. And the need for great big piles of money. Which the moneyed men provided. In exchange for special privileges. Patronage. Lucrative government contracts. Etc. Big piles of money flowed into Washington. And favors flowed out from Washington. With many a politician getting rich in the process of getting rich moneyed men richer. Politicians who used their position in government for personal gain. Corrupted politicians. As government + money = corruption. Which is why politicians always leave office richer than when they entered office.

Power + Corruption = Tyranny

This is how it started. As the size of government grew corruption grew. Just as Jefferson feared. All that money flowing into Washington corrupted ever more politicians. Who were not gentlemen of the Enlightenment. But the scoundrels and knaves Jefferson knew would come. Who used their position in government for personal gain. Whose corruption grew so great it exploded federal spending. So great that taxes from the moneyed men AND the middle class were unable to fund it. So the taxation grew more aggressive.

The government created by the Founding Fathers had no income taxes. They funded the few things the new national government did with tariffs for the most part. People lived from day to day without any fear of the taxman. The United States even did away with debtors’ prison. Prison where people were sent who could not pay their debts. A relic of the 19th century. Sort of. For there is one debt people can still go to prison for not paying. Past-due taxes. For the IRS can take everything you have and imprison you if you don’t pay your taxes. And those taxes have grown great as of late. As the tax code has grown convoluted. Requiring businesses to hire armies of accountants and lawyers to comply with. So the government can help the moneyed men who help the government. In return for special privileges, of course. Leaving the masses dreading April 15. As they dread opening any letter from the IRS.

If you want to know what it was like living under an absolute monarchy just think of the IRS. People fear the IRS. Just as people feared the arbitrary power of an absolute monarchy. A king could take your property and lock you away. Just like the IRS. And if you spoke out against the monarchy the king could make your life really unpleasant. Just like the IRS. During the 2012 election the IRS targeted conservative political groups to stifle their free speech. Delayed their tax-exempt status approval. And harassed them with costly tax audits. And now their tyranny has extended to people in the middle class. Who unbeknownst to them had a family member owe the federal government. Years earlier. Even a generation earlier. And the IRS is arbitrarily seizing the tax refunds from these debtors’ distant relatives to pay these debts. Even though they are in no way responsible for these debts. And the government has no documentation for this debt. Doesn’t matter. Because they have the power to do this. And these people are powerless to stop them. Just like people living under an absolute monarchy were powerless to stop their king from doing anything to them. And this is what Jefferson feared. For after corruption comes tyranny. For power + corruption = tyranny. (Just look at every tin-pot dictator that has oppressed his people). Which is why people fear the IRS. And the federal government the IRS is beholden to. Because they have become everything Jefferson feared they would.

History 101

King Louis XVI became the Face of the Ancien Régime during a Period of Great Debt from Decades of War

“It’s good to be the king.” For you can pretty much do anything you want. Right up to the point your subjects go French Revolution all over your ass.

“It’s good to be the king” was a constant refrain in the classic Mel Brooks movie History of the World: Part I. During the French Revolution the people arrested King Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette. And sent them both to the guillotine. Even though Louis was not really that bad of a king. Certainly not like Mel Brooks portrayed him in his movie. He even tried to modernize France with Enlightenment ideals. And made America’s independence from Great Britain possible.

Louis had some faults. But it was more bad timing. Being the face of the Ancien Régime during a period of great debt from decades of war. High taxes. And the occasional famine. The people had suffered for a long time. In large part thanks to Louis’ predecessor. Who fought a lot of wars. And ran up a lot of debt. While losing most of New France to Great Britain. Losing a source of wealth and income just as the bill for all those wars were coming due.

Court was where all the Movers and Shakers Gathered

King Louis XIV (aka, Louis the Great; aka, the Sun King) ruled for 72 years and 110 days. One of the longest reigns in European history. He believed in the divine right of kings. Which stated kings answered to no one but God. Louis XIV created one of the most powerful absolute monarchies in Europe. He transformed the Palace of Versailles into one of the largest and most lavish palaces in the world. And moved his court there. Where it remained
until the French Revolution.

The king’s court was an extended household. Where the king’s blood family lived. And all the bureaucrats that helped him run his personal life. And his kingdom. For not only is it good to be the king it can be very exhausting to be the king. Officials took care of business at court. World leaders sent their ambassadors to court to handle their international business. And officials from around the country went to court to settle domestic business. Court was where all the movers and shakers gathered. And the Palace of Versailles was home to a lot of treaty writing.

This required a large palace to accommodate these people. And a lavish one to impress them. To make their image abroad more glorious. These people needed spaces to live in. And food to eat. As did the king. Who had the finest quarters. And when he got up in the morning he did not make his own bed. One of the thousands of his servants attended to that. For running one of the world’s largest palaces took a lot of servants. And a lot of organization.

It is Good for your Career to be Close to, and Loyal to, the Person who holds the most Power in the Land

As households grew larger nobles and royals established household offices. And a big part of these larger households and courts was feeding the people. Kitchens had a pantry for foods and a buttery for beverages. A pantler ran the office of the pantry. And a butler ran the office of the buttery. Beneath these were other offices. At the top in charge of managing the household was the chamberlain. Some of these were positions with a lot of responsibility. But, surprisingly, some other positions people probably wouldn’t want today were even more powerful.

The cup bearer was very intimate with the king. And was someone the king trusted with his life. For the cup bearer served the king drinks at the royal table. With there always being someone who wanted to kill the king someone had to make sure that didn’t happen through poison in the king’s cup. Sometimes, just to be sure, he had to drink from the king’s cup before the king did. To prove it was poison-free. Making the cup bearer one of the closest confidants of the king.

Then there was the groom of the stool. The most intimate of the king’s servants. Who spent time with the king while he was on the toilet. And de-soiled the king’s bottom after a royal poop. Only the most trustworthy people could be the groom of the stool. For no one was closer to the king. Who knew the king’s secrets. Because he heard them directly from the king. And people feared him. For he could tell the king anything they said or did. Making this one of the most coveted positions in the king’s court.

When the United States won their independence from Great Britain the king was no longer sovereign. The people were. So the king’s court became our civil servants today. But they don’t physically wipe the president’s bottom these days. Today they just kiss it. Figuratively, of course. Because despite the changes it is still good for your career to be close to, and loyal to, the person who holds the most power in the land.

Politics 101

(Originally published August 30th, 2012)

King Louis XIV remained Catholic as Protestantism was Breaking Out in Europe and Britain

It’s been awhile since the last ice age. In fact the last time we had a real ice age predated the first civilizations. We still wore animal skins and hunted and gathered our food. Long before we first farmed. But it would get cool again. Shortly after the Black Death (during the 1300s) it did get unseasonably cool. So cool that we now call it the Little Ice Age (from 1350 to 1850 or thereabouts). The glaciers didn’t cover Europe. But it was cold. And wet. The spring took forever to change into summer. While summer was quick to turn into fall. Which led to short growing seasons. Poor harvests. Hunger. And famine.

Martin Luther was no fan of the Pope. Especially because of the indulgences he was selling. A shortcut to heaven. For those with money. Which is what the Pope wanted. Money. For he was doing some costly renovations in Rome. So in 1517 Martin Luther nailed up his Ninety-Five Theses to the church door demanding reform. And kicking off the Protestant Reformation. Well, the Catholic Church wasn’t interested in reform. So Luther set up a new church. With a new religion. Protestantism. A more plain religion. With masses in the common language of the people. Instead of Latin. And no fancy things in the church. No altars. No stain glass. No icons. Just the word of God. With over a thousand years of Catholicism already under their belt, though, a lot of people took offense to this. And their offense offended the new Protestants. So they went to war with each other for a few centuries or so over their religious differences.

King Louis XIV was one of the great French monarchs. Under his rule France was the dominant European power. The Sun King believed in the divine right of kings. Absolute monarchism. Doing pretty much as he pleased. Which included a few wars. And growing an empire with oversea colonies. It cost a pretty penny. And a lot of lives. Louis remained Catholic as Protestantism was breaking out in Europe. And in England. For a couple hundred years or so England and France were bitter enemies. Contesting colonial lands throughout the globe. And defending the true faith. Catholicism. Or Protestantism. The Catholic-Protestant battle lines stretched across Europe. And to distant lands across the globe. Including the New World. Where they would both spend fortunes in waging war.

For the French the American War of Independence had nothing to do with the Americans

The Enlightenment, or the Age of Reason, gave the French Voltaire. One of the great Enlightenment philosophers. When Benjamin Franklin was in France the French were eager to bring two of the world’s greatest Enlightenment philosophers together. And did. The French also gave us the great Charles-Louis de Secondat, baron de La Brède et de Montesquieu. The greatest influence on the Founding Fathers as they drafted our Constitution. So there was some great thinking percolating in France. Thoughts that focused on science and reason. Not tradition and faith. Even questioning some long-held beliefs about the Catholic Church, the aristocracy and the absolute monarchy.

Louis XIV built a great French empire. The French seemed invincible. Until Louis XV took over. Who lost the Seven Years’ War to the British. And saw French North America become British. (And the Louisiana Territory go to Spain.) That was tough having their eternal foe humiliate them. The Protestant British. It was a blow to French pride. French commerce. And French finances. The near-perpetual state of war that had existed between Britain and France had cost both nations a lot of money. The British decided to recoup some of that money by taxing their American colonies. Which didn’t go over well with the Americans. For unlike France the British had a constitutional monarchy. Where the Parliament restricted the king’s powers. That great institute of the people. Which the Americans had no representation in. Leading to their rebellion. Because they didn’t like being treated like second-class subjects of the British Empire. Which brought about the American Revolutionary War.

After the Americans defeated a British army at the Battle of Saratoga the French joined the Americans in their fight for independence from the oppression of a constitutional monarchy. Which seemed rather odd being that the French at this time was still an absolute monarchy (though now ruled by Louis XVI). Which was far more oppressive than the constitutional variety. But for the French the American War of Independence had nothing to do with the Americans. It had to do with French interests. It was a chance to strike back at their eternal enemy. The Protestant British. And more importantly, when they won they could get back all their colonies they lost in the Seven Years’ War.

The French were Intoxicated with all of those Enlightenment Ideals and the American Win over an Oppressive Monarchy

The Americans won their independence. But the French didn’t get anything they wanted. All they got was a lot of debt. To add to the enormous pile of debt they already had. One of the French conditions for their alliance was that the Americans would not make a separate peace with the British. Which is what the Americans did. Why? Because the French and the Spanish were conspiring against the Americans during the peace talks. So they could expand their holdings in North America at the expense of the British and the Americans. The French were even willing to trade American Independence away. The British, who would rather have Americans on their former lands than the French or Spanish, made a separate peace with the Americans.

This act of diplomacy stunned the French. For they had assurances from the American Congress that they would take the lead in the peace talks. The Americans double-crossed them before they could double-cross the Americans. This wasn’t supposed to happen in the world of European diplomacy. Especially with rubes like the Americans. But it did. And the French were now in a world of hurt. Broke. And facing bankruptcy. Desperately needing new tax revenue King Louis XVI called an Assembly of Notables. The nobility and clergy. But they didn’t want to pay any more taxes. So the king called the Estates-General of 1789. Which included the clergy, the nobility and everyone else (i.e., the Third Estate).

Meanwhile there was widespread hunger and malnutrition. Poor grain harvests (in part due to the Little Ice Age) pushed the price of bread out of reach for many. People were cold, hungry and poor. In the Third Estate, that is. For though they may have been suffering they saw that the nobility and the Catholic clergy were not. In fact, they were living rather well. Which inflamed the masses. Who became intoxicated with all of those Enlightenment ideals. And that American victory over an oppressive monarchy. It got the people thinking. That they didn’t need a nobility any more. The Catholic Church. Or a king. And the people would get rid of these things. For awhile, at least. With something called the French Revolution.

History 101

King Louis XVI became the Face of the Ancien Régime during a Period of Great Debt from Decades of War

“It’s good to be the king.” For you can pretty much do anything you want. Right up to the point your subjects go French Revolution all over your ass.

“It’s good to be the king” was a constant refrain in the classic Mel Brooks movie History of the World: Part I. During the French Revolution the people arrested King Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette. And sent them both to the guillotine. Even though Louis was not really that bad of a king. Certainly not like Mel Brooks portrayed him in his movie. He even tried to modernize France with Enlightenment ideals. And made America’s independence from Great Britain possible.

Louis had some faults. But it was more bad timing. Being the face of the Ancien Régime during a period of great debt from decades of war. High taxes. And the occasional famine. The people had suffered for a long time. In large part thanks to Louis’ predecessor. Who fought a lot of wars. And ran up a lot of debt. While losing most of New France to Great Britain. Losing a source of wealth and income just as the bill for all those wars were coming due.

Court was where all the Movers and Shakers Gathered

King Louis XIV (aka, Louis the Great; aka, the Sun King) ruled for 72 years and 110 days. One of the longest reigns in European history. He believed in the divine right of kings. Which stated kings answered to no one but God. Louis XIV created one of the most powerful absolute monarchies in Europe. He transformed the Palace of Versailles into one of the largest and most lavish palaces in the world. And moved his court there. Where it remained until the French Revolution.

The king’s court was an extended household. Where the king’s blood family lived. And all the bureaucrats that helped him run his personal life. And his kingdom. For not only is it good to be the king it can be very exhausting to be the king. Officials took care of business at court. World leaders sent their ambassadors to court to handle their international business. And officials from around the country went to court to settle domestic business. Court was where all the movers and shakers gathered. And the Palace of Versailles was home to a lot of treaty writing.

This required a large palace to accommodate these people. And a lavish one to impress them. To make their image abroad more glorious. These people needed spaces to live in. And food to eat. As did the king. Who had the finest quarters. And when he got up in the morning he did not make his own bed. One of the thousands of his servants attended to that. For running one of the world’s largest palaces took a lot of servants. And a lot of organization.

It is Good for your Career to be Close to, and Loyal to, the Person who holds the most Power in the Land

As households grew larger nobles and royals established household offices. And a big part of these larger households and courts was feeding the people. Kitchens had a pantry for foods and a buttery for beverages. A pantler ran the office of the pantry. And a butler ran the office of the buttery. Beneath these were other offices. At the top in charge of managing the household was the chamberlain. Some of these were positions with a lot of responsibility. But, surprisingly, some other positions people probably wouldn’t want today were even more powerful.

The cup bearer was very intimate with the king. And was someone the king trusted with his life. For the cup bearer served the king drinks at the royal table. With there always being someone who wanted to kill the king someone had to make sure that didn’t happen through poison in the king’s cup. Sometimes, just to be sure, he had to drink from the king’s cup before the king did. To prove it was poison-free. Making the cup bearer one of the closest confidants of the king.

Then there was the groom of the stool. The most intimate of the king’s servants. Who spent time with the king while he was on the toilet. And de-soiled the king’s bottom after a royal poop. Only the most trustworthy people could be the groom of the stool. For no one was closer to the king. Who knew the king’s secrets. Because he heard them directly from the king. And people feared him. For he could tell the king anything they said or did. Making this one of the most coveted positions in the king’s court.

When the United States won their independence from Great Britain the king was no longer sovereign. The people were. So the king’s court became our civil servants today. But they don’t physically wipe the president’s bottom these days. Today they just kiss it. Figuratively, of course. Because despite the changes it is still good for your career to be close to, and loyal to, the person who holds the most power in the land.

Fundamental Truth

The British Subjects were bothered by their Protestant King having a French Catholic Wife

King Henry VIII had a falling out with the Pope. And broke away from the Catholic Church. Putting England on the path to becoming Protestant. Now, for those of you unfamiliar with the Protestant Reformation the resulting conflicts between Catholics and Protestants were really horrible. And bloody. Some of England’s greatest enemies during that time were Spain and France. Both Catholic. But this Catholic-Protestant animosity was not limited to her foreign enemies.

Religion played a large part in the English Civil War (1642–1651). In fact, it started it. When King Charles I tried to impose an English prayer book on Presbyterian Scotland. To have a singular religion in England and Scotland. Which the Scottish didn’t embrace. And pushed back on King Charles. Who then wanted to teach the Scottish a lesson. With an army. But to raise an army he needed money. Which meant he had to call Parliament. And when he did they weren’t all that keen on spending money for another war. Then one thing led to another. Resulting in a war between supporters of the king. Cavaliers. And supporters of Parliament. Roundheads.

But there was another religious element. The king’s wife. Henrietta Maria. Of France. Who was a proud practicing Catholic. This bothered a lot of people. The king having a French Catholic wife in a Protestant country where they were still executing Catholics. For practicing religion wrong. And now the king had a Catholic wife. Who they believed was turning the Protestant king Catholic. In fact, they thought that English churches even looked too Catholic for their liking. And they did something about it. They smashed idols. Altars. Vestments. Stained glass. Etc. Anything that you might find in a Catholic Church they destroyed. Believing their churches should be properly Protestant. Plain, boring and dull.

When Hostilities broke out the Anti-Catholic Sentiments among these British Americans were as Strong as Ever

About a hundred years later we come to the American Revolutionary War. Another war between the British people. Great Britain. And the American colonists. Who had grown into their own people. And did not like the mother country treating them as second class citizens in the British Empire. They didn’t like the taxation without representation. Or their mercantile economic policies. Which limited the colonists to raw material suppliers. That they had to sell to Britain. Ship on British ships. Then buy only British goods. Shipped on those same British ships. Goods often manufactured from their own raw materials.

When George Washington settled his accounts with his British agent he didn’t like what he saw. The British mercantile house was profiting more from his labors than he was. And it pissed him off. For George Washington was an astute businessman. One of the few planters that actually made a profit in Virginia. And the current system with Great Britain was just bad business. So when talk of independence came around he was quick to sign on. Both for principle. And for business. For he was an old man. Who knew a lot. And experienced even more. One of the privileges of being an old man.

When hostilities broke out the anti-Catholic sentiments among these British Americans were as strong as ever. And when General Washington’s soldiers expressed those sentiments publically the general quickly put an end to it. For the memories of the English Civil War were not that distant. He did not need to make his task more difficult by adding in that Catholic-Protestant animosity to the current struggle. Especially when there was an attempt to get Canada to join their cause. Which was recently French Canada. A colony of Catholic France. Before the British defeated the French in the Seven Years’ War. Making French Canada British. So the Americans were counting on cashing in on Canada’s anti-British sentiments. And hopefully France’s anti-British sentiments.

Americans were able to Win the Peace because they didn’t Need Government to tell them how to Live

The Canadians didn’t join the Americans. But the French did. And General Washington avoided defeat for 8 years. And won the American Revolutionary War. Against the mightiest empire in the world. A remarkable feat. Then Washington won the peace. Which was even more remarkable. For revolutions rarely end in peace. Because these conflicts are typically civil wars. Where brother fights brother. And when brother fights brother the fighting gets especially brutal. With bitter feelings of animosity. Like those between Catholics and Protestants. Which they often just can’t shut off after the fighting is over. But the Americans could. And did. Which is why their democracy worked. When so many others have failed.

America’s experiment in self-government worked because of men like George Washington. Responsible citizens who tempered their wants with knowledge and experience. Who saw the bigger picture. Who knew when to stand on principle. When to compromise. And when to leave things the hell alone. Not acting on passions. Or emotions. Not acting like children. But adults. Who knew they couldn’t have everything they wanted. And went without a lot of the things they really wanted. For with liberty came personal responsibility. You were free to do pretty much whatever you wanted to do. But that personal responsibility kept you from doing a lot of the things you shouldn’t do. By exercising restraint. Which our Founding Fathers exercised after winning the Revolutionary War. There were no reprisals. No vengeance. Only law. Where justice was blind. Something that didn’t happen during the French Revolution. Fought but 5 years from the close of the American Revolution. But unlike the American Revolution the streets of France ran with blood. Where vengeance ruled the day. And justice wasn’t blind.

This is what makes the American Revolution different. It was the character of the men fighting it. Men of the Enlightenment. Selfless men. Who put the country first. Instead of settling old scores. Helped in part by a short history in the New World. And a long history in the Old World. As they were able to learn the lessons of history. Without having centuries of wrongs to right inflaming their passions. Exceptional men. And exceptional circumstances. Something the French just didn’t have. Which is why the streets of France ran with blood. And why there were many fits and starts to their republic. While the Americans were able to make theirs work from the beginning. Because of the character of its people. Who were not used to a ruling power subjecting them. Who expected no one to take care of them. And just wanted their government to leave them the hell alone. So they could work hard. And provide for their families. And their ideal form of government was one that let them do just that. Not one that was a big part of their life. Or one that provided for them. Made them dependent on it. The Americans were able to win the peace because they didn’t need government to tell them how to live. They chose to live harmoniously together. Thanks to a character honed by their religious beliefs. And having exemplary men to emulate. The Founding Fathers. This is why the Americans were able to win the peace. Why the French were unable to win theirs. And why the Egyptians are struggling to win theirs.

History 101

King Louis XVI became the Face of the Ancien Régime during a Period of Great Debt from Decades of War

“It’s good to be the king.” For you can pretty much do anything you want. Right up to the point your subjects go French Revolution all over your ass.

“It’s good to be the king” was a constant refrain in the classic Mel Brooks movie History of the World: Part I. During the French Revolution the people arrested King Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette. And sent them both to the guillotine. Even though Louis was not really that bad of a king. Certainly not like Mel Brooks portrayed him in his movie. He even tried to modernize France with Enlightenment ideals. And made America’s independence from Great Britain possible.

Louis had some faults. But it was more bad timing. Being the face of the Ancien Régime during a period of great debt from decades of war. High taxes. And the occasional famine. The people had suffered for a long time. In large part thanks to Louis’ predecessor. Who fought a lot of wars. And ran up a lot of debt. While losing most of New France to Great Britain. Losing a source of wealth and income just as the bill for all those wars were coming due.

Court was where all the Movers and Shakers Gathered

King Louis XIV (aka, Louis the Great; aka, the Sun King) ruled for 72 years and 110 days. One of the longest reigns in European history. He believed in the divine right of kings. Which stated kings answered to no one but God. Louis XIV created one of the most powerful absolute monarchies in Europe. He transformed the Palace of Versailles into one of the largest and most lavish palaces in the world. And moved his court there. Where it remained until the French Revolution.

The king’s court was an extended household. Where the king’s blood family lived. And all the bureaucrats that helped him run his personal life. And his kingdom. For not only is it good to be the king it can be very exhausting to be the king. Officials took care of business at court. World leaders sent their ambassadors to court to handle their international business. And officials from around the country went to court to settle domestic business. Court was where all the movers and shakers gathered. And the Palace of Versailles was home to a lot of treaty writing.

This required a large palace to accommodate these people. And a lavish one to impress them. To make their image abroad more glorious. These people needed spaces to live in. And food to eat. As did the king. Who had the finest quarters. And when he got up in the morning he did not make his own bed. One of the thousands of his servants attended to that. For running one of the world’s largest palaces took a lot of servants. And a lot of organization.

It is Good for your Career to be Close to, and Loyal to, the Person who holds the most Power in the Land

As households grew larger nobles and royals established household offices. And a big part of these larger households and courts was feeding the people. Kitchens had a pantry for foods and a buttery for beverages. A pantler ran the office of the pantry. And a butler ran the office of the buttery. Beneath these were other offices. At the top in charge of managing the household was the chamberlain. Some of these were positions with a lot of responsibility. But, surprisingly, some other positions people probably wouldn’t want today were even more powerful.

The cup bearer was very intimate with the king. And was someone the king trusted with his life. For the cup bearer served the king drinks at the royal table. With there always being someone who wanted to kill the king someone had to make sure that didn’t happen through poison in the king’s cup. Sometimes, just to be sure, he had to drink from the king’s cup before the king did. To prove it was poison-free. Making the cup bearer one of the closest confidants of the king.

Then there was the groom of the stool. The most intimate of the king’s servants. Who spent time with the king while he was on the toilet. And de-soiled the king’s bottom after a royal poop. Only the most trustworthy people could be the groom of the stool. For no one was closer to the king. Who knew the king’s secrets. Because he heard them directly from the king. And people feared him. For he could tell the king anything they said or did. Making this one of the most coveted positions in the king’s court.

When the United States won their independence from Great Britain the king was no longer sovereign. The people were. So the king’s court became our civil servants today. But they don’t physically wipe the president’s bottom these days. Today they just kiss it. Figuratively, of course. Because despite the changes it is still good for your career to be close to, and loyal to, the person who holds the most power in the land.

Economics 101

The Party of the Working Man misrepresents the Jobs Data and Lies to the People

Figures don’t lie but liars figure. Something Mark Twain is said to have said. Mark Twain is, of course, Samuel Langhorne Clemens. But we know him by his pen name. Mark Twain. And the author of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. But he was also a science buff. And close friend of Nikola Tesla. The father of AC power. And he thought that most Congress people were liars and thieves. With personal agendas. Who will lie about facts and figures to get what they want. And what do people in government want? What all people in governments throughout time have wanted. Wealth. And power.

Every king, noble and aristocrat has acted selfishly in history to acquire wealth and power. The privileged few. Or one. They held the power. Traded favors. And worked together. Landowners amassed great wealth thanks to peasants working their land. The king maintained the system that limited land ownership to a privileged few. And the privileged few paid back the king with a share of their wealth. By working together they exploited the masses to amass wealth. So they could live the good life. Comfortable in their wealth. With the power to do whatever they wanted. And this hasn’t changed over time. Well, it has in one respect. With the advent of democracy it is a little more difficult to do what you want when in elected office.

Today no one leaves Congress poor. They are set for life. With a generous pension. And benefits most workers never get while gainfully employed. And how do they do this? The same way that kings, nobles and aristocrats have always acquired wealth. By using political power to exploit the masses. And the key to this is growing government as large as possible. To give them that power. And the ability to grant favors. Throwing a few handouts to the peasants to win their love and admiration. Thus pleasing enough of the electorate to win elections. But the policies they use to make this happen have a major drawback. They are anti-business. And kill jobs. Putting people out of work. Which can be a problem when you’re the party of the working man. And working woman. So you have to at times misrepresent the jobs data. And lie to the people.

The United States and Kim Jong Un have an Obesity Problem while the North Korean People suffer Famine

History has shown that low taxes and limited government grow economies. This is what made the United States the number one economic power in the world. Which was able to happen because it happened before the era of Big Government in the United States. Right now there are emerging economies in the world going through a similar phase. And their stellar economic growth will sputter out once the size of their governments grow. Just like they have in many advanced economies that have transitioned into a social democracy. For there is nothing that stamps out economic growth like higher taxes and greater regulatory costs. Which is why the Soviet Union, the countries behind the Iron Curtain in Eastern Europe, The People’s Republic of China (under Mao), North Korea, Cuba, etc., have never been great economic powers. Instead these countries that practiced fairness and redistributive policies suffered some of the most abject poverty and the lowest standards of living. Not to mention having some of the most brutal and oppressive police states to keep their people from fleeing their social utopias.

But when it came to economic production these nations all lied to their people. If you listened to the Soviet propaganda machine communism had won. There was no way free market capitalism could match the managed communist economy. They were growing bumper crops. Their factories were putting out more goods than they could use. And life was just peachy in the Soviet police state. A lot of people in the West believed this. And fought to undermine capitalism so they, too, could install socialist utopias in the West. But the people living in those socialist utopias had a little more trouble believing the lies. For they were waiting hours in lines to buy soap and toilet paper. They saw stores with empty shelves. And stores with shelves full of things no one wanted to buy. They had to wait years before it was their turn to buy a car. Or get an apartment. And forever speak in hushed tones for fear the secret police might hear them utter some dissatisfaction of the socialist system. Lest they disappear to some reeducation camp in Siberia.

And while the people suffered those in power did not. In socialism everyone was equal. But like George Orwell said in Animal Farm, some were more equal than others. North Korea suffers from recurring famine. And depends on food imports to prevent future famines. So your average North Korean is not going to have an obesity problem. While the United States suffers an obesity crisis because their people eat too much food North Korea suffers through recurring famines where people starve to death. But you know who isn’t starving to death? Kim Jong Un. The new ruler of North Korea. Who not only appears to be well fed. But even looks obese. And this in a country that suffers from recurring famines. And it’s been the same throughout history. Those champions of the people always lived better than the people. For those in the inner party in the Soviet Union went to the front of the line when it came to cars and apartments.

Kings, Nobles, Aristocrats and those in the Federal Government act Selfishly to acquire Wealth and Power

This is why people want political power. Because it is a pathway to wealth. Especially for those people who don’t have the ability to create wealth on their own. Like a small business owner. So they need to use political power. Favor. Privilege. And deceit. Which is an important tool for today’s politician’s in a democracy. Deceit. Such as when they figure with the economic figures. The Obama administration has implemented some of the most business unfriendly policies that have just stamped out all economic growth. Which is why we have been wallowing in a jobless recovery following the Great Recession. While some would even say the Great Recession lingers on. Despite what the economic data says. For they have little faith in the numbers anymore. For with every jobs report the Obama administration highlights the new jobs the economy created. And how even though the numbers could be better we are definitely on the right path. As the unemployment rate continues to fall. Dropping below 8% just in time for the 2012 election. As no president ever won reelection with an unemployment rate above 8%. So it was rather convenient it fell just in time for the election. Perhaps a little bit too convenient. Especially when you look at the other economic numbers (see Table A-15. Alternative measures of labor underutilization and Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey).

The U3 unemployment rate is the official unemployment rate. Which fell to 7.6% in March. Yet another improvement. But the U3 unemployment rate doesn’t count everyone who can’t find a full time job. The U6 unemployment rate counts more people who can’t find a full-time job. And it fell to 13.8% in March. Which is an improvement. But the number of people who can’t find a full time job is still in double digits. And has moved little from around 14%. One thing both the U3 and the U6 numbers have in common is that they have changed little in the last 6 months. While the number of people in the civilian labor force has changed. A lot. So one of these numbers doesn’t appear to agree with the other two. For if the unemployment rate was steady one would think the number of people in the civilian labor force would be steady, too. Which makes one question the accuracy of the official unemployment rate. And the constant reports of how the economy is improving. How it’s on the right path. As they talk about all the new jobs their policies have created. Despite the stubbornly high unemployment numbers. But if we look at that job creation and the changes in the size of the civilian labor force we get a different picture of that improving economy (see Employment Situation Archived News Releases).

The latest jobs report shows 88,000 new jobs added to the economy. Less than projected. And a bit of a disappointment to those in the ‘the economy is on the right path’ crowd. But they still find solace in the fact that the economy added jobs. Just as it has for the previous 5 months. If you add this job creation up during this 6-month period it totals 953,000 new jobs. That’s about 1 million new jobs. Not a strong recovery. But not too shabby. But if we look at the change in the civilian labor force we don’t see 1 million new jobs. Over the same 6-month period we see a net LOSS of 28,000 people from the civilian labor force. Which agrees more with the reality of the current economy. And the U6 unemployment rate. It’s bad. People can’t find a full-time job. And it’s because of the anti-business policies of the Obama administration. But for the past 4 years or so they have massaged the jobs data to lead us to believe that they were creating jobs when they were actually destroying jobs. Why? Because kings, nobles, aristocrats and those in the federal government act selfishly to acquire wealth and power.

Fundamental Truth

King Louis XVI of France enjoyed all the Benefits that came with being King until his Arrest and Execution

In Mel Brooks’ The History of the World Part: I we see a satirical look at a broad swath of history. It’s funny. And often crude. Such as the first art critic. Who is a caveman reviewing a cave painting. Everyone waits with bated breath for his critique. After a long and serious consideration of the work of art the critic picks up the front of his animal skin clothing. And urinates on the artwork. To the displeasure of the artist.

Then Brooks looked at Rome and the excesses of Caesar. Roman Emperor. Absolute ruler of much of the known world. Who lived in the lap of luxury. And enjoyed arbitrary power. Who could do pretty much whatever he wanted to do. And did. In the movie we see his legions bringing him treasures from conquered lands. Which they poured over him in an alabaster bathtub. Later, when a stand-up philosopher accidentally called the emperor fat and corrupt he sentenced him to death. As he did to the wine steward who spilled wine on him. Brooks made this funny in the movie. But the best comedy is based in truth. Suffice it to say you wouldn’t insult Caesar if you knew what was good for you.

Then we see Brooks have fun with King Louis XVI of France. Who ruled just before the American Revolutionary War. Until his arrest and subsequent execution in the French Revolution. The French monarchy was an absolute monarchy. The king could do whatever he wanted. During his reign France was going broke thanks to his predecessor’s numerous wars. And Louis’ support and financing of the American Revolution. Which he paid for mostly with borrowed funds. Leaving French finances in a mess. Some bad harvests led to a famine or two. So the common people were suffering during his reign. While Brooks showed Louis enjoying his luxurious life at the Palace at Versailles. With little regard for his people. Enjoying all the benefits that come with being king. As he groped the pretty ladies that caught his eye. And said into the camera, “It’s good to be king.”

A King needs an Aristocracy so he can trade Privilege for Wealth to Secure his Power

The portrayal of Louis the XVI is not exactly accurate. Or fair. For he was a decent man. Who tried to get his people to love him. He’s greatest fault was probably being a weak and indecisive king. Something most tyrants aren’t. And there wouldn’t have been a United States of America without him. Something else in Louis’ favor. But the life of luxury he enjoyed at Versailles wasn’t that far off the mark. For kings lived like kings. And if you had the right dad that exceptional life could be yours. Something a lot of people wanted. Even killing off some heirs to the throne to put themselves next in the line of succession. For the words of Mel Brooks ring true. “It’s good to be king.”

But the interesting thing about kings is that they can’t be king alone. They need an aristocracy. Rich people who the king allows to get rich. As long as they share some of their riches with the king. In the days of kings that meant landowners. So those in the king’s court who ran the government were wealthy landowners. They used their positions of power to secure their wealth. And they used their power to amass more wealth. Which they shared with the king. And because they did the king maintained their privilege. Which secured his power. So it was not only good to be king. But it was good to be in the upper echelons of the aristocracy. Who lived almost as good as a king.

Meanwhile the poor masses toiled on the land. Enriching the landowners. And the king. Who worked hard and got little in return. For their life was often “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.” As Thomas Hobbes wrote in Leviathan. For the times of kings was the age of feudalism. Where the masses were attached to the land. Bonded to it. And forbidden to leave it. They were born on it. They lived on it. They worked on it. And they died on it. As their children would, too. With no hope of ever doing something different than your father did. Because in feudalism there was the king. The aristocracy. And everyone else. Those whose lives were “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.”

There is no way the President can live like a King without the Privilege he gets with his Position of Power

This is what bothered Thomas Jefferson. The connection between money and government power. For it was only when they came together could they oppress the masses. He wanted to keep the money as far away from those in government as possible. He didn’t want to see only a few rich landowners. He opposed the expansion of government. And when he was president he cut government spending. Not cuts in the growth rate of future spending. But actual cuts in spending. Unlike today. Where government spending only increases. Even when they cut it.

The country continues to struggle in the worst recovery since the recovery following the Great Depression. If you look at the labor force participation rate (LFPR) you’d conclude we’re still in the worst recession since the Great Depression. Yes, the official unemployment rate has fallen some. But the LFPR has fallen off a cliff. The only reason why the unemployment rate has fallen is that they have stopped counting hundreds of thousands of people who can’t find full-time work. People are hurting. There are fewer jobs now than when President Obama took office. People are underwater in their mortgage. The median income has fallen. While gasoline and food prices soar. But the stock market is doing well. Thanks to the quantitative easing. As rich investors can borrow large sums of cheap money to invest in the stock market. Especially those with friends in the federal government. Who don’t even have to risk their own money to get rich. No. Like aristocracies of old, they get large sums of taxpayer funds. In return they collect and bundle money from campaign donors to give back to their friends in power. To help keep them in power. So they can continue to get large sums of taxpayer funds.

Meanwhile President Obama and the First Lady have been living it up. There was the lavish vacation to Spain for the First Lady and her friends. The Christmas vacations in Hawaii. The summer vacations on Martha’s Vineyard. Ski trips to Vail. Golfing with Tiger Woods. Zipping back and forth across the U.S for fundraisers in Air Force One. Often hobnobbing with the Hollywood Elite and music royalty. The National Review Online reports the Obama White House annual household expenses are $1.4 billion. For these traveling costs add up. As the president enjoys the trappings of his high office. And who wouldn’t want to spend $1.4 billion on their household expenses? With that kind of money we wouldn’t be spending summer vacation in our backyards anymore. But we don’t get to live like a king. No. Our lives are more “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short” these days. As jobs continue to disappear from the economy. And median income falls. So why does the president continue to live like a king when so many of the people are suffering? Because it’s good to be king. It’s good to be in the upper echelons of the aristocracy. And especially good to be in the federal government. For there is no way the president can live like a king without the privilege he gets with his position of power.

The French Left wanted Radical Change and Launched the French Revolution

The terms Right, Left and Center go back to the French Revolution. To the National Assembly. Where people sat according to their political preferences. Those who wanted to kill the king, the queen, the nobility, the clergy and pretty much anyone rich sat to the left of the president. Those who wanted to maintain the monarchy and the established institutions sat to the president’s right. Those who fell between these views sat in the center.

Why did the French Revolution erupt? The people were starving. Taxes were high. And the government was trying to raise taxes again. Because the government was drowning in debt. From decades of war with their archenemy. Great Britain. And their financing of the American Revolution. Where the British Americans were rebelling against the French’s archenemy. Great Britain.

So France was a tinderbox. To make matters worse for the monarchy was all that liberty talk of the Americans. It was like a disease. And it infected the French. Who looked at the wealthy few. The king. The queen. The nobility. The clergy. And then listened to their empty tummies rumbling. The French Left wanted radical change. And revolution. The French Right said whoa now, let’s not act hasty here. Yes we have some problems but our glorious French institutions have been around for centuries. It’s in large part to them that France is great.

The Revolution to Topple a King ended with the Coronation of an Emperor – Napoleon

Well despite France’s great and glorious past the radicals got their way. And blood ran in the streets of Paris. Starting with the Storming of the Bastille. The great medieval fortress housing prisoners of the realm. The revolutionaries threw open the gates. And freed all seven prisoners. Being more a symbolic act than one of substance. But this led eventually to a number of legislative assemblies. A lot of blood. Carnage. And the beheading of King Louis XVI. And his queen. Marie Antoinette. Eventually the seats on the right side of the National Assembly emptied. As everyone moved to the president’s left. Lest they be killed, too.

The revolutionaries aimed their wrath at anyone who was not supportive of the Revolution. And even those whose support was only lukewarm. They killed these enemies of the Revolution. Or any other enemies that they conveniently identified as enemies of the Revolution. Leaders rose. And leaders fell. Jean-Paul Marat. Georges-Jacques Danton. And Maximillien Robespierre. All three were killed. Charlotte Corday, a supporter of the Right, stabbed Marat in his bath tub. Danton and Robespierre were guillotined. Leaders of violence. Victims of violence. These members of the French Left. Who killed and terrorized the people unlike the king they killed. King Louis XVI. Or the queen they killed. Marie Antoinette.

Ultimately the French Revolution gave the world Napoleon. And world war. And the Revolution to topple a king ended with the coronation of an emperor. For this opportunist ultimately had the biggest army. Napoleon could consolidate his power. Unlike Marat. Danton. Or Robespierre. But Napoleon could. And did. Then he set out to create an empire. Much like the kings that came before him did.

Those on the Right are Distrustful of those on the Left when they Talk about Egalitarianism and Fairness

Today the meaning of Left, Right and Center vary. But, in general, those on the Right prefer the way things are. Proven by time to work. And those on the Left are never happy with how things are and want to change them to some new theoretical ideal that time hasn’t proven as a viable workable system. Such as socialism. And communism. Generally referred to as ‘leftist’ systems. And both are systems that have never worked.

Fascist Italy, Communist Russia and Nazi Germany were all new experimental systems to right all the wrongs of past governments. And all three governments made their citizens’ lives worse with harsh police states. With the state summarily executing enemies of the state. Much like Marat, Danton and Robespierre did in France. Many refer to Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy as right-wing states. But both were fascist states. Which was nothing more than a national socialism. Which was a combination of socialism. And nationalism. These were people who wanted radical change. Control over the masses. And empire. If these governments sat in the French National Legislation they all would have taken seats to the left of the president.

Leftists hate the rich and successful. And want to confiscate their wealth for themselves. Instead of trying to achieve wealth on their own merit. Those on the Right are distrustful of those on the Left when they talk about egalitarianism and fairness. Because they know what that means. They are going to take their wealth via the power of government. By a progressive tax system. Inheritance tax. Capital gains tax. Surtaxes to punish success. Regulatory laws and fees that increase the cost of doing business. (As well as increases the prices of goods and services.) Etc.

The Left champions the poor and downtrodden as they ascend to power. But rarely have they helped the poor and downtrodden. Only a select few in the party upper echelons ever live a better life. For example, the Democrat Party launched a war on poverty in the Sixties and yet there is still poverty. Despite a myriad of government programs that has exploded the size of government. All headed by rich bureaucrats living better lives. While the poor and downtrodden are still wallowing in poverty. And we know this because the Left is constantly telling us this. In their never ending quest to expand the size of government.

The center is somewhere between the Left and the Right. It’s not really a group with core political beliefs. But more of a group that that likes a little from column ‘A’. And a little from column ‘B’.

Politics is a Procession – We tend to Start on the Left, Work our Way through the Center and End on the Right

Perhaps another way to look at this is those on the right being parents in a family. Children of these parents who are now raising their own families are in the center. And the young children who are still in college are on the left.

The young know little and have even less responsibility. They like to stay out late, party, do drugs and have consequence-free sex. They don’t like anything that restricts their good times. Hence they are always hostile to authority. Church. Or state. And their vote tends to lean towards anarchy. Where anything goes.

The children starting their own families are slowly giving up the ways of their youth. They are becoming established in their careers. Raising children. Which leaves little time for fun. But they are hesitant to admit that they have become their parents. So they hang on to some of their idealistic ways of their youth. While starting to save for their kids’ college education. And their retirement. They even start going to church. To get their kids started on the right foot. And to try and keep their kids from doing everything they did when they were young.

The parents have worked long and hard. They have a family. And grandchildren. They want the best for their family. And a happy and secure retirement. After playing by the rules all of their lives they don’t want to rock the boat now that they are so close to retirement. So they are very pleased to stay with the proven ways of the past. And prefer to help others at their church. Rather than giving money to a leviathan government.

Politics is a procession. We tend to start on the Left. Work our way through the Center. And end on the Right. For we tend to grow less radical with age. Because as we age we accumulate wealth and have far more to lose with radical change.